From a press release issued by CCS South Florida:

Martinez Sets Record at Homestead

By Lisa Theobald

Marco Martinez broke the track record at Homestead-Miami Speedway on his GSX-R1000 during the fourth lap of the Unlimited Grand Prix race with a lap time of 1:26.39. And in the next lap, he beat it again, setting a new record pace time of 1:26.37.

Scott Ritchey was gridded on the front row and won the battle for the holeshot at the start of the race. It was a three way fight for front runner going into turn one between Michael Rouleau, Ed Lis, and Ritchey. Florida’s current number one rider, Jim Pihokken, who had been experiencing clutch problems all day long, got off to a bad start and headed through the corner in fourth place. By the end of lap two, Pihokken had taken over the lead on his GSX-R1000 with Martinez in hot pursuit.

Martinez made the winning pass just before the entrance to the front straight at the halfway mark and stepped up the pace. On the next lap, he broke the record previously set by Geoff May in February, 2004, of 1:26.56 by a fraction of a second. And just one lap later, he broke his own record to become the fastest motorcycle racer around the speedway.

Martinez won seven of the nine classes he entered, making him the biggest winner of the day, yet again. At the end of the day he commented: “I’m really happy to be able to run all these races. I was really tired at the end and Jim was awesome. He was running really good, and Scott. My game plan was to stay with them for the first three laps (of the Unlimited Grand Prix) and if I was able to beat both of them, then I was going to make my move in the middle of the race. You know, I don’t know what happened. Jim gave me a little bit of room to pass him and I was able to take the lead and take it to the win.” His other first place finishes were in the GTU, Unlimited Supersport, Heavyweight Supersport, Middleweight Superbike, Heavyweight Superbike, and Middleweight Grand Prix races.

Of his record breaking pace, Martinez stated, “I can’t believe I did that. I didn’t think I was pulling fast times at all. To be able to get the track record is awesome. Geoff May is such an awesome rider. I wish I could stay with him at the AMA Nationals. I mean, the guy just smokes me every time I race with him. But, I tell you, to me it’s a big accomplishment. I knew I could do it and I just needed a little bit more practice in the AMA circuit, and hopefully I can make top ten finishes.”

Bob Fisher ruled the Lightweight classes, running undefeated on his SV650. He won all four of the races he entered, making him the second biggest winner of the day. Fisher was able to work his way to the front of the field early in all of his classes and run away from the competition. He won the GT Lights, Lightweight Grand Prix, Lightweight Superbike, and Lightweight Supersport events.

From a press release issued by Spectrum Ducati/Aprilia:

Spectrum Ducati/Aprilia Announce Frankie Chili Night

World Superbike Road Racer, Frankie Chili, will appear at Spectrum Ducati and Aprilia, Tuesday evening, July 6th from 5:30 PM till 8:00 PM signing autographs then depart for this year’s Laguna Seca races. During his eight years in World Superbike he has eight poles, fifty one podium finishes, sixteen wins, fourteen seconds, and twenty one thirds.

Frankie won one of last year’s World Superbike races at Laguna Seca. Spectrum Ducati/Aprilia will have on display Frankie’s winning bike in their new showroom located at 51 Auto Center Drive across the street from the original Spectrum Honda/Polaris building in the Irvine Auto Center.

Posters will be provided by Spectrum Ducati.

From a press release issued by Galouises Fortuna Yamaha:

ROSSI AND CHECA READY TO RUMBLE IN RIO

The latest stage in the development of the Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team’s season gets underway in Brazil this weekend, fresh from its victorious success at last weekend’s Dutch TT in Assen.

World Champion Valentino Rossi secured his fourth win of the year and his third win in succession in historic Assen, matching previous championship leader Sete Gibernau for points and propelling Yamaha to the top of the manufacturers’ championship. His win also pushed the factory team to the head of its own league table, with Rossi destroying yet another lap record on the way to victory.

Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team rider Carlos Checa enjoyed less fortune on raceday in Assen, finishing ninth after starting from the front row, but with a proven race winning pedigree and a podium finish of second at Le Mans already in 2004, Checa is in a determined mood as the vast MotoGP circus flies on down to Rio for another weekend of intense competition. Carlos’ best previous result around the 4.933km circuit is second, recorded in 2001.

Standing on reclaimed swampland the Jacarepagua circuit is the latest destination for Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha’s travelling band of riders, engineers and management, the circuit on the outskirts of Rio a generally popular venue for all, despite the major feat of logistics involved in transporting the entire race effort to the Southern hemisphere a mere three or four days after a European GP.

With Rossi and Gibernau tied on 126 points, but Rossi in the lead because of his superior win ratio of four to Gibernau’s two, Rio will provide another intense test for London-based Italian Rossi, in what has become a man to man fight for superiority so far. Making the very best of his six-race experience of the Yamaha YZR-M1 machine so far, Rossi will be going out to repeat his recent run of perfection in Rio, having won the last four races, from 2000 to 2003.

Also an adopted Londoner, Checa lies fourth in the championship overall, despite his recent Assen result of ninth. Promisingly fast in qualifying this season, Checa has many reasons to be confident as he approaches the latest circuit on the 16-round World Championship trail.

ROSSI’S RIO RAP

As the Rio GP approaches with almost unseemly haste, Rossi, a peerless competitor at the Brazilian venue, is confident that his first Yamaha ride in Brazil can lead to a fruitful outcome on raceday.

“Rio is a special track for me, I think I’ve had the most wins of my career there, it’s six GP wins in total, and two of those have been in the MotoGP class,” said the indomitable Rossi. “It’s one of my favourite tracks for that reason, plus it has long corners for good sliding, and I’ve had a good feeling there on all the bikes I have raced there, and also I like the country of Brazil. It’s probably not going to be warm there this time, which is a shame, it makes more sense to race there when it’s hot.

“My Yamaha M1 seems to adapt well to different circuits. It handles well, we have a good base setting and it seems we have to do less work to find the correct race setup. We’re a winning combination, Yamaha and I. I’m very happy to be in this position at this stage. This will be my first ride with the M1 in Rio but I think we should be able to make a good job and to slide it well.”

“It wasn’t in our plans at this point but to be halfway through the season and leading the championship is incredible. Sete is always there, riding very well and as it stands it seems to be between him and me. It looks as if it will be a hard fight right through to the end. Recently no one is splitting us and we’re only putting five points between us each time. This championship is tight! You can see the other Yamahas up front and the bike has got its got good points and bad points, but we’ve done an incredible job from the beginning to now.”

After an incredible start to the year Rossi nominated his very first win for Yamaha as the most satisfying so far.

“All the wins are hard but the first one in South Africa was the most beautiful one, as I was on the limit all the way through. As the bike gets more familiar it also gets a little easier to race for the win.”

CHECA RATES RIO HIGHLY

For Carlos Checa, the Rio race is a sensory delight, as well as one of his favourite venues to race at.

“I love Rio; the beaches, the people, the food. It’s always great fun. The circuit is nice, I always have very good feelings there; I would even say that it’s one of my favourites,” said the 31-year old.

As Checa has proved in the past, the YZR-M1 can be competitive at Rio, even if there has been no pre-season testing there for riders or team.

“It should be a good track for Yamaha, the bike is working well. Maybe we need some more speed for the end of the straight, but we should be able to make up the difference throughout the rest of the track. I think we have a good chance there and I’m looking forward to the race a lot and we’ll see what we’re able to do. I think that the feelings I have with the bike at the moment and the feelings I always have at Rio should be a good combination, hopefully leading to a good result.”

Checa’s intentions for Rio are clear. “I would like to try for the podium, even for winning, I think this is possible. I’m not 100% comfortable with the set-up at the moment, or with the balance of the bike, we have some improvements to make and we must continue our progress. Having said that, I want to be careful not to make too many changes in a race environment; sometimes it’s better to keep things the same and get used to them, rather than keep making big changes. I think this way we can continue to make me more and more competitive. Let’s see what happens in Rio, and let’s hope for good weather, as it’s winter there!”

DAVIDE BRIVIO – TEAM DIRECTOR

Having witnessed both Rossi and Checa spraying open the champagne on the podium this year, Davide Brivio wants the team to be able to indulge in more of the same, but recognises that Rio presents both a particular challenge as well as another opportunity for glory.

“Going to Rio after four wins in six races is a very nice sensation,” said Brivio. “I am very curious to see how we will be there because our memory of the past is that we found it a difficult circuit for our bike but everything is different this year. So we can see if it will be good right away or whether we will struggle a little bit. We have had some good races at Rio, with Carlos in 2002 in the wet and in 2001, when they stopped and restarted. It will be interesting to see what type of bike setting issues could arise after one day.

“The championship is becoming more and more exciting and there seems to be something at the moment between Valentino and Gibernau. Alex Barros was with them at Assen for a time, with Max Biaggi you never know, Carlos also has the potential to be with them and any other rider has the potential to be good. We are all very happy to go straight to another race and see what will happen. With Valentino we are focussed on this very positive moment but with Carlos we have to put him back on the podium as soon as possible. The good race he made in Le Mans, with the podium finish in second, he can do all through the year. That is our main target now.”

Of the logistical challenge to be ready at Rio after such a short a space of time in Europe, Brivio stated, “In three or four days after Assen all of our personnel and equipment will be in another part of the world. That is tough, but it is something we just have to do.”

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

Lying as it does on reclaimed land, close to the coast, Jacarepagua has a tendency to be bumpy, as the land underneath has subsided since the venue was originally built in 1978. After the ultra-high speed corners of Assen, the rear suspension can now be softened off somewhat, to allow the greater suspension travel needed to handle the the stutter bumps and ripples which abound on the Rio tarmac.

Laid out both inside and outside an Indy-style banked oval, the Rio track is infrequently used, leaving it with a low coefficient of friction at the start of the weekend, which improves as each practice session goes by. This throws another factor into an already complex set-up equation, as higher speeds generally require increasingly stiff suspension.

Featuring a lot of longer corners, good machine stability and manoeuvrability are an ideal marriage at Jacarepagua, while the frequent corner exits mean that consistent rear wheel traction is also necessary, to make the most of the available horsepower.

With the team having no personal data for Rossi on a Yamaha YZR-M1 at Rio, there is an inescapable element of having to see how the bike reacts on base settings before the finer tuning can take place. Thus far the team has exhaustively tried a wide range of suspension settings and spring rates, irrespective of previous data at each track, to great effect come raceday.

As Rio is at sea level, horsepower output will be as high as anywhere else, but one possible interruption this year will be the weather. The round takes place in the Brazilian winter months, making day-by-day track conditions an even more unpredictable factor than usual.

VALENTINO ROSSI: INFORMATION

Age: 25

Lives: London, UK

Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1

GP victories: 63 (24 X MotoGP, 13 X 500cc, 14 X 250cc, 12 X 125cc)

First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)

First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)

GP starts: 130 (38 x MotoGP, 32 x 500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)

Pole positions: 33

Rio 2003 results (Honda): Grid: 1st, Race: 1st





CARLOS CHECA: INFORMATION

Age: 31

Lives: London, UK

Bike: Gauloises Fortuna Yamaha Team YZR-M1

GP victories: 2 (500cc)

First GP victory: Catalunya, 1996 (500cc)

First GP: Europe, 1993 (125cc)

GP starts: 158 (38 x MotoGP, 92 x 500cc, 27 x 250cc, 1 x 125cc)

Pole positions: 2 (1 x MotoGP, 1 x 500cc)

First pole: Spain, 1998 (500cc)

Rio 2003 results (Yamaha): Grid: 10th, Race: 9th



Rio MotoGP lap record – Valentino Rossi (Honda) 1:50.543 (2003)

Circuit best lap – Valentino Rossi (Honda): 1:49.038 (2003)

From a press release issued by Applied Business Systems:

TWO PODIUMS FOR JASON

Yamaha Factory Road Racer, Jason DiSalvo from Stafford, New York, completed a successful weekend of racing at Brainerd International Raceway in Minnesota, Friday, June 25th through Sunday, June 27th. DiSalvo competed in the American Motorcycle Association’s National in the 600cc Supersport and the 1000cc Superstock classes, with practice on Friday, qualifying on Saturday and the finals on Sunday.

During practice on Friday Jason was up to speed posting times in the top 3 in Superstock and top 6 in Supersport. With qualifying on Saturday Jason put the 1000cc Superstock bike on the front row with the 3rd fastest time. In the 600cc Supersport Jason was 5th quickest giving him a 2nd row starting position.

With Sunday starting cool and wet, the day’s events were delayed. By race time at 11:00 am the 1000cc Superstock class all was ready. With a great start Jason was with the lead group which broke away from the pack by lap 6 and became a 3-way battle for first, with the lead 3 running close in every corner. In the final lap Jason made a move for 2nd place just as the group approached lapped traffic which prevented him from making his move. At the finish line DiSalvo was 3rd giving him a well-deserved podium position. The current point’s standings in Superstock show Jason in 4th place. The Superstock race will be aired on Speed Channel Tuesday, July 6th.

The 600 Supersport race (which was televised live) at noon Sunday, June 27th started with the top 8 machines changing positions almost every lap. Jason diced with the leaders going into first place on lap 6 and while leading the race a red flag stopped the race. With the rain delay about 1/2 hour the riders changed tires and waited for the restart. Due to a new grid based on the position when the red flag was shown, Jason started on the front row. At the restart it was a rush to turn one with 4 or 5 bikes swapping places for the shortened race lead. At the checkered, DiSalvo was 3rd again giving him another podium position. Jason is currently 5th in the Supersport standing with four races left in the season.

Jason commented at the press conference “Two (2) podium finishes in one weekend makes me pretty happy, the racing in both classes was fun and Yamaha bikes with Dunlop tires worked really well.”


More, from a press release issued by Joe Rocket:

ZEMKE BREAKS THROUGH AND TOMMY MAKES IT 3 IN A ROW!

Certainly Saturday night’s mountainous bon-fire is still smoldering at Brainerd International Raceway while the area cottagers re-collect their serenity! Rocket Racers and thousands of fans alike have blasted out of town, taking with them the plunders of victory.

Winning this past Sunday’s Superbike showdown and fronting another Joe Rocket podium sweep, AMA Superbike Championship rookie sensation, Jake Zemke has finally broken into the ranks that had previously eluded him. A truly spectacular race that kept fans on their feet from flag to flag was wrangled to conclusion when Erion Honda’s Zemke crossed the finish line just as the heavens opened and poured rain. Along with fellow Rocket Racers Miguel Duhamel (2nd place) and Mat Mladin (3rd place) Jake stepped proudly atop the podium to celebrate his first ever AMA Superbike victory.

Congratulations Jake!

Saturday’s on-track action saw American Honda’s Miguel Duhamel and Jake Zemke play tug-of-war with the lead position throughout the AMA Formula Xtreme race. Miguel piped Zemke at the line to ad a fifth victory to his 2004 Formula Xtreme wins tally. Duhamel now favors a 15 point lead over Zemke with four races left be run before either is crowned FX Champion.

Factory Kawasaki’s “Tommy-Gun” Hayden has extended his AMA 600 Supersport winning streak to unprecedented 3 consecutive victories. Tommy and his teammate Roger Hayden excitingly swapped the lead position numerous times throughout Sunday’s Supersport donnybrook. Ultimately the race came down to the wire as Tommy defended his line through a last lap, last turn power slide, just barely beating his younger brother and fellow Rocket Racer to the checker flag. With four races left in the season, Tommy now enjoys a 29-point advantage over closest contender Roger Lee. It is only going to get more interesting from here on in sports fans!

Look for the Rocket Racing team in action when they again take to the tarmac at Mazda Raceway July 9-11 in Monterey California.



More, from a press release issued by The Familie:

ROOKIE, JAKE ZEMKE TAKES HIS FIRST SUPERBIKE WIN
AND CLOSES IN ON THE AMA CHEVROLET SUPERBIKE SERIES TITLE

Carlsbad, CA – In Jake Zemke’s novice year in the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Series he has managed to have the season that most riders dream about. With nine podium finishes so far this rookie season, Zemke added his first Superbike win to the list this weekend at the Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, MN.

The Brainerd International track seems to be lucky for Zemke, who has scored a number of firsts on the track, ending with his latest: his first Superbike win to date. Zemke also claimed his first Formula Xtreme win and his first 600cc race in MN.

With his impressive finishes so far this season, Zemke continues to challenge any claim to the Superbike Title. Sitting a mere ten points below leader, Matt Mladin, and four below teammate and second place, Miguel Duhamel, Zemke could easily overtake one of the top two positions. With seven races left in the series, the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Series title is still far from decided.

Look for Zemke to race at the Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, CA, July 9 -11, 2004.

From a press release issued by Vreeke & Associates, Dunlop’s advertising and PR agency:

Zemke tastes first Superbike victory at Brainerd

Brainerd, MN – Erion Racing’s Jake Zemke clinched his first-ever AMA Superbike victory at Brainerd International Raceway (BIR) on Sunday, June 27 – the same track where he collected his first AMA Supersport and Formula Xtreme victories. All-in-all it was a superb weekend of racing for Dunlop-sponsored riders in the four series campaigned here as Honda Racing’s Miguel Duhamel notched his fifth victory in Formula Xtreme, Graves Motorsports Yamaha’s Jamie Hacking collected Superstock victory number four and Kawasaki Road Racing’s Tommy Hayden notched his fourth win in Supersport competition.



The Minnesota summer welcomed the seventh stop of the AMA’s 2004 Superbike tour with cool and occasionally damp weather. BIR is known for turns one and two, arguably the fastest in the AMA Superbike series, and corners of varying camber. The surface is noted for its numerous seams, which create a harsh ride, and the relatively old pavement. To meet the demands of the track, Dunlop arrived with over 1500 tires to support the factory and support teams of Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha. .



The weekend’s first race in the Formula Xtreme series took place Saturday afternoon. In this class, highly-modified 600cc four cylinder and 750cc twin cylinder machines dominate the front rows. Duhamel and Zemke fought tooth-and-nail throughout the race for the lead aboard their CBR600RRs, with the duo often swapping the lead along BIR’s long front straightaway and the fast right-hand sweepers in turns one and two. At one point early in the race, Duhamel’s right knee-puck slider tore away, forcing him to alter his riding style through the turns to protect his knee. No matter, Duhamel drafted past Zemke on lap 11 and then ripped off the fastest lap of the race, 1:38.083 to hold the lead, taking the win by .375 seconds over Zemke. “The Dunlop tires were really good actually, I was concerned when we picked up the pace a bit and Jake was right with me the whole time, I was trying to stay in front and not use them up too much. At the end there, I bested my qualifying time on my last lap so I was really pleased with my tires and their performance.” Emgo Suzuki’s Vincent Haskovec took third, followed by Erion Racing’s Alex Gobert in fourth. Duhamel leads the series with 250 points to Zemke’s 235, followed by Gobert with 193.



Sunday’s slate of three races began with the 1000cc machines of the Superstock class. Dunlop brought five rear tire compound selections, ranging from medium to hard, and three front tire compounds from which the riders could select. Series point leader Hacking started from the pole with a devastating qualifying time of 1:36.232 on his R-1, eight-tenths of a second ahead of the defending Superstock Champion, Attack Kawasaki’s Josh Hayes on a ZX-10RR. Hacking and Hayes jostled for the lead along the front straight and through turn one on the first seven laps of the 13-lap race before Hacking went around Hayes for good, breaking Hayes’ draft with the race’s fastest lap of 1:36.885. He stretched his lead to an eventual margin of victory of 2.837 seconds over Hayes.” He (Hayes) was tough going into turn one and was hanging it out through there, he was definitely hooked up. I just backed off coming down into the last corner. It was close, when I pulled out from the draft…but that’s what I had to do. The Dunlop tires were working really good on it.” Hacking’s teammate Jason Disalvo closed rapidly to finish less than three-tenths of a second behind Hayes. Kawasaki’s Tommy Hayden and brother Roger Lee finished fourth and fifth while Yoshimura Suzuki’s Ben Spies took sixth on his GSX-R1000 and Yamaha’s Aaron Gobert was seventh. Gobert’s brother Alex finished ninth on an Erion Racing CBR1000RR as Dunlop-supported riders took eight of the top ten positions. Hacking now holds the series lead with 218 points to Aaron Gobert’s 204, followed by Tommy Hayden with 200.



The highly-competitive 600cc Supersport series did not disappoint fans as the first six laps of the race featured numerous lead changes between Kawasaki’s Hayden duo on ZX-6RRs and Yamaha’s Hacking on an R-6. The action behind the leaders was just as competitive when rain forced a restart and set-up a seven-lap sprint to the checkered flag. While Tommy and Roger Lee Hayden fought for the lead, Yamahas’ Gobert, Disalvo and Hacking were close behind. Tommy Hayden slipped past his brother on the last turn before the checkered flag, winning by just .095 seconds. “Coming into the last turn I figured at least I was going by, whether or not he’d pass me back I wasn’t sure. But I was braking after he did and luckily I was able to get it stopped and I squared it up just ahead of him.” Disalvo, Hacking and Gobert finished third through fifth, respectively, while Suzuki’s Ben Spies and Aaron Yates took sixth and eighth on GSX-R600s. Only 1.872 seconds separated the first six finishers as Dunlop-shod riders took eight of the top ten positions. In series points, Tommy Hayden has 237 points to 208 for teammate and brother Roger Lee. Hacking is close behind in third with 201 points.



For the Superbike competitors, Dunlop brought five rear tire compound selections ranging from medium to hard. The teams also had seven front tire compounds from which to select. Sunday’s Superbike race result was foreshadowed by Zemke’s pole qualifying performance on his CBR1000RR Saturday with a time of 1:35.655. “I went out on my first bike and had a problem with it so I came straight into the pit and went out on my second bike and did one warm-up lap.” Zemke and Larry Pegram then bumped and both fell coming out of turn ten before the front straight, effectively shortening Zemke’s qualifying run to just ten minutes. “Basically we just threw a Q (qualifying tire) on it and I went straight out, did one lap just trying to get my mind focused and get up to speed, then came in and threw a second Q and ran that lap.”

Sunday’s Superbike race featured the most competitive action to date this year. After Kawasaki’s Hayes led briefly, Zemke, series leader Yoshimura Suzuki’s Mat Mladin on his GSX-R1000, and a charging Duhamel on his Honda Racing CBR1000RR swapped positions frequently thereafter. The Honda pair had a power advantage on BIR’s long front straightaway but Mladin passed them repeatedly on the circuit’s tighter corners. Lapped traffic would put space between the trio but Duhamel controlled laps 15-20 and appeared headed to his fifth victory of the season. As the race wound down to the last lap, Zemke slipped past Duhamel coming out of turn two as Duhamel ran wide. A crash ahead and rain falling in the last three turns made the final charge to the flag treacherous but Zemke held on for his first-ever Superbike win. “Brainerd’s a pretty special place for me. I won my first Formula Xtreme race here, I won my first 600 race here, and I’ve won my first Superbike race here. Miguel made a little mistake there coming out of two, and when he did that, it just opened the door wide open. Then I just came around to the finish, the last two corners were awfully wet.” Though upset with the lack of a red flag on the last lap, Duhamel and Mladin were gracious in their tribute to Zemke. Finishing fifth was Honda Racing’s Ben Bostrom, followed by Hayes and Suzuki’s Yates. Mladin’s lead in the series has narrowed with 358 points to Duhamel’s 352 and Zemke’s 348.



Next stop for Dunlop and the AMA road racing tour will be the Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca in Monterey, California on July 9-11.



More, from a press release issued by Plummer Menapace, Pirelli’s advertising and PR agency:

PIRELLI TIRE RACE REPORT: AMA BRAINERD AND WORLD MX GP RESULTS

Solid Top 10s Across the Board At Brainerd;
American Jeff Dement Gives Pirelli A Third in Belgian MXGP

(Rome, GA) Pirelli’s privateers continue to be the thorn in the factory’s sides in 2004. And this past weekend at the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Series round at Brainerd International Raceway was more of the same, a continuing theme that hasn’t abated since the opening round in Daytona.

In Formula Xtreme, Pirelli now holds six of the top ten championship points positions as a result of taking the sixth through twelfth race positions at Brainerd. Triangle Cycle’s Larry Pegram is fifth in points, but it was Michael Barnes and his Kosco HD/Buell-sponsored Buell XB9R that gave Pirelli its top Brainerd Formula Xtreme position in sixth. Behind Barnes came Young America Suzuki’s Blake Young, Pegram, HAS/Shogun Racing’s Heath Small, Lion Racing’s Nicky Moore, Hester Racing’s Nathan Hester, and Mach 1/EMA’s Perry Melnecuic – all Pirelli mounted. Behind Pegram in the points are Lion Racing’s Jake Holden, still in sixth even though this is the second straight Formula Xtreme race he’s not started, choosing to concentrate on other classes. Nathan Hester is seventh, followed in order by Melnecuic, Barnes, and Small.

“Barney” Barnes and his Pirelli-shod Prieto Racing Yamaha R6 added a ninth place finish in Sunday’s Supersport final, keeping him in eighth place in points in the highly-competitive, factory-dominated Supersport class. Teenage chargers Nicky Moore, who switched to a Suzuki GSX-R600 a few weeks ago, finished 12th, and Blake Young, 15th.

While over in Superstock, Jake Holden was the top non-factory finisher, in eighth, moving him up to ninth in points.

Holden was also Pirelli’s top Brainerd Superbike finisher, taking ninth, one position ahead of Pirelli’s habitual Superbike Top-10er, Geoff May. Newlywed May finished 10th, keeping his 2004 streak of top-10 finishes intact, and solidly holding his amazing fifth place championship points position, the top privateer. “We struggled with set-up at the beginning of the weekend, we were just behind, but it all paid off when the race came. We had something for ‘em. We ended up running the 17s (17-inch Pirelli slicks instead of the 16.5s he usually runs), they were great!”

Pirelli’s perennial domination of World motocross Grands Prix continued this past weekend at the Neeroeteren, Belgium GP. Longtime Pirelli riders Mickael Pichon and current champion, Stefan Everts swapped wins in the MX1 class, with Pichon taking the overall win. Everts, however, still holds a commanding 102-point lead in the championship. But the big news for American MX fans was Jeff Dement, riding an SRS Honda in the World Championship, giving Pirelli a third place in the MX2 class. All three were on Pirelli’s new Scorpion front tire and MT32 rear.



More, from a press release issued by Moto Primo Suzuki:

Moto Primo Suzuki Racer, Jessica Zalusky, qualified and finished respectively at her home track, Brainerd International Raceway for the 7th round of the AMA Superbike Championship Series, racing in the Superstock and Supersport classes.

Racing in two competitive classes, Jessica juggled her schedule between racing her familiar Suzuki GSX-R 750 and taking her time to familiarize herself once again with her Yamaha YZF-R6 after a yearlong absence.

Jessica started Friday practice strong in Superstock with laptimes of 1:45s, placing her 19th amongst the field of riders. During qualifying for Superstock, Jessica was not able to break her practice times due to mechanical issues suffered with her Suzuki GSX-R 750 and qualified in 22nd position.

On Sunday for the Superstock race, Jessica encountered an early mishap and lost her contact lens for her left eye due to dry eyes. Jessica was able to maintain her lap times and finished in 20th position.

During practice and qualifying for Supersport, Jessica encountered and overcame mechanical issues now with her Yamaha YZF-R6, which only allowed her a limited amount of laps, resulting in the 33rd position for qualifying.

For the Supersport race, Jessica was able to regain focus, but shortly suffered once again the loss of a contact lens. After a brief spout of rain the Supersport race was red-flagged and Jessica was able to correct her lack of vision and finished the race in 29th position.

In the points chase for 2004, Jessica boosted to the 30th position for Superstock and 65th for Supersport. Due to scheduling constraints, Jessica may only race one more round in the AMA series for 2004. For 2005, she will have more of a full schedule and will include more rounds with AMA series.

For more information about Jessica Zalusky, visit www.roadracinggirl.com

From a press release issued by Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca:

AMA SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP HEATING UP AS SERIES HEADS TO MAZDA RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA

Honda Superbike Classic to take green flag July 9-11

MONTEREY, Calif. (June 28, 2004) – Another year and yet another barnstormer of a season in the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Chevrolet Superbike Championship, with four different riders having tasted victory in the first 11 races. The top three riders are covered by just 10 points as the series heads to Monterey County for the Honda Superbike Classic July 9-11 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Mat Mladin (#1 Suzuki GSX-R1000) has accumulated 358 points, Miguel Duhamel (#17 Honda CBR1000RR) is second with 352 points and Jake Zemke (#98 Honda CBR1000RR) has earned 348 points so far this season.

Mladin, the defending series champion and the only four-time champion in series history (1999-2001 & 2003), got off to a fast start in 2004 winning the first four races and five of the first six. His five wins are the most by any rider this season, but Mladin hasn’t won since May 15 at Barber Motorsport Park (Birmingham, Ala.). The man many people consider the greatest Superbike racer ever will be looking to regain his winning form, protect his championship lead and defend his series title and his win in last year’s AMA Superbike race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Duhamel, the wiley veteran, has won four times this season. The 1995 AMA Superbike champion has won 30 Superbike races during his 14-year career, including the 1998 AMA Superbike race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

Superbike rookie sensation Zemke picked up his first AMA Superbike win last weekend at Brainerd International Raceway. Zemke, who hails from nearby Paso Robles, had come close to victory on several occasions this season, finishing second six times. Though Zemke will be making his initial Superbike start at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, he won the 2002 AMA Formula Xtreme race.

Fourth in the championship with 262 points is fan-favorite Eric Bostrom (#32 Ducati 999), who took the Superbike win at Pikes Peak International Raceway in May. The two-time AMA Superbike winner at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (2001 & 2002) is in his first season with the Ducati Austin team (and his first season on Michelin tires), having raced for Kawasaki since 2000.

Geoff May (#199 Suzuki GSX-R1000) has been the model of consistency, earning ten Top-10 finishes this season and 241 points for fifth place in the championship in his sophomore season.

Ben Bostrom (#155 Honda CBR1000RR) is sixth in the standings with 210 points. The older brother of Eric is a former competitor in the SBK Superbike World Championship, where he won three times at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca (once in 1999 and twice in 2001).

Featuring both the World Superbike Championship and the U.S. Superbike Championship, the Honda Superbike Classic has been called the Super Bowl of Superbike racing. But the event’s reputation is further bolstered with the inclusion of a full line-up of AMA road racing series, including the Pro Honda Oils Supersport Championship, the Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Championship and the Repsol Superstock Championship.

The AMA Supersport Championship features 600cc bikes and has mostly been a family affair, with Tommy Hayden (#22 Kawasaki ZX6RR) earning four wins and 237 points and his younger brother Roger Lee (#95 Kawasaki ZX6RR) earning one win and 208 points to be first and second in the standings. Defending series champion Jamie Hacking (#1 Yamaha YZF R6), winner of the last two Supersport races at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, is third with 201 points. Fellow Yamaha riders Jason DiSalvo (#40 Yamaha YZF R6) and Ben Spies (#11 Yamaha YZF R6) have each won a race this season and are fifth and sixth, respectively, in the championship.

In Formula Xtreme, featuring highly modified 600cc four cylinder and 750cc twin cylinder machines, Honda teammates Miguel Duhamel (#17 Honda CBR600RR) and Jake Zemke (#98 Honda CBR600RR) have swept all seven races. Duhamel has five wins, including last weekend in Brainerd, to lead Zemke (two wins) by 15 points – 250-235. Aaron Gobert (#23 Honda CBR600RR) is third with 193 points.

Four different riders have won in the AMA Superstock Championship for 1000cc machines. Hacking (#2 Yamaha YZF R1) has taken four wins to lead Gobert (#96 Honda CBR1000RR) 218-204 points. Gobert, third-place rider Tommy Hayden (#22 Kawasaki ZX-10R) and sixth-place Spies (#11 Yamaha YZF R1) each have one victory this season.

Tickets for the Honda Superbike Classic are available by calling (800)
327-SECA or logging onto www.ticketmaster.com or www.laguna-seca.com.

More information on the AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship and all other AMA road racing series competing at the Honda Superbike Classic is available at the series’ official Web site – www.USSuperbike.com. Updated event information is available by calling (800) 327-SECA or online at
www.superbikeclassic.com or www.laguna-seca.com.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

WERA racer Mike Kinzer and wife Dawn had a daughter, Kayla Rossi Kinzer, June 19 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Provisional Sunday Morning AMA Superbike Practice Times:

1. Miguel Duhamel, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:36.073
2. Mat Mladin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:36.278
3. Jake Zemke, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:36.546
4. Eric Bostrom, Ducati 999F04, 1:36.687
5. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:37.036
6. Ben Bostrom, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:37.415
7. Pascal Picotte, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:38.062
8. Aaron Yates, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:38.114
9. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.536
10. Shawn Higbee, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.568
11. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.583
12. Geoff May, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.841
13. Larry Pegram, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:40.657
14. Jeremy Toye, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:40.919
15. Cory West, Suzuki GSX-R100, 1:41.067

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

The start of the session was delayed approximately 25 minutes while portions of the track were dried following overnight rain.

Provisional Sunday Morning AMA Superstock Practice Times:

1. Jamie Hacking, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:37.182
2. Josh Hayes, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:37.844
3. Jason DiSalvo, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:38.041
4. Aaron Gobert, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:38.384
5. Ben Spies, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:38.388
6. Tommy Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:38.731
7. Roger Lee Hayden, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:38.758
8. Alex Gobert, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:39.102
9. Jason Pridmore, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.178
10. John Haner, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.774
11. Jake Holden, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.936
12. Scott Greenwood, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:40.239
13. Vincent Haskovec, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:40.398
14. Eric Wood, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:40.414
15. Steve Rapp, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:40.582
16. J.J. Roetlin, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:43.485
17. Jesse Janisch, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:43.816
18. Montez Stewart, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:46.157
19. Jessica Zalusky, Suzuki GSX-R750, 1:49.186